GONU Sets Deadline For Darfur Peace Signing in Doha

29 March 2010 - (Khartoum) – The Government of National Unity has given the Darfur anti-government group the Justice and Equality Movement until 5 April to sign the final peace agreement in Darfur.

The chairman of the GONU delegation, Dr. Amin Hassan Omer, addressed a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday.

[Dr. Amin Hassan Omer]: “In the initial agreement, the deal was that by the end of this month [March] the negotiations should be over but if we failed, it will be postponed to 5 April. This is due to one practical reason; we cannot continue negotiating using the name of a government whose term has ended. On 11 April, the people will elect a new government, maybe this government will have the same structures but will be different in a way, you can never tell. This is a delegation that was elected by the Government of National Unity, not by any other government, and if time elapses after elections we can not make commitments on behalf of another government that will be elected.”

Hassan added that the JEM is reluctant to sign a final peace deal.

[Dr. Amin Hassan Omer]: “JEM’s position is rigid and they are being hardliners. They are not willing to make a breakthrough in the negotiations; we signed a framework agreement with JEM on 23 February. Since that time, no joint meeting was held with this movement, we only get to hear its positions through the media. For that reason we do not care much to reply on the public declarations made by JEM regarding the elections. Our position is very clear and written, even during the mediation, we are not mandated to talk about the postponement of the elections.”

However, the head of JEM negotiation team, Ahmed Lisan Togud, told SRS on Monday from Doha, that the ultimatum by the government to sign a peace agreement within a week’s time is not realistic.

[Ahmed Lisan Togud]: “First of all, the statements by Amin Hassan Omer are unrealistic. This is aimed at disrupting the peace process because it is not logical to make it in a specific period of one week to sign the peace agreement at a time when there are no negotiations. Even during the one-week period no direct negotiations took place between us and the Sudanese government; this proves that the government already took a decision to withdraw from the negotiations. We don’t see any reason for such statements. We know that there is going to be elections and democratic transformation, but where are the Darfur people in this process? Where are the rights of the Darfurians in this democratic transformation? If Amin is genuine about peace, let him come and sit at the negotiation table and talk and bring his issues to be discussed in detail until we agree.”

The chairman of JEM, Khalil Ibrahim arrived in Doha, Qatar last week with a senior delegation but have not yet engaged in any negotiations with the Government of National Unity.